Rubio and Witkoff Head to Paris as Ukraine Ceasefire Talks Regain Momentum
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff are set to travel to Paris later this week for high-stakes diplomatic talks, with Ukraine emerging as the central focus amid renewed efforts to secure a ceasefire with Russia, The Gaze reports, referencing Politico.
Witkoff, tasked by President Donald Trump with advancing negotiations to end the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, is expected to meet directly with French President Emmanuel Macron. Meanwhile, Rubio will hold talks with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot before continuing on to Africa, according to sources familiar with the trip.
The visit comes just days after Witkoff’s lengthy meeting with Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg — a move the White House called “another step in the negotiating process” despite Russia’s multiple violations of ceasefire over strikes on energy infrastructure and President Trump’s growing frustration over the stalled progress toward a truce.
France has positioned itself as a key European player in shaping Ukraine’s postwar security framework, including Macron’s proposal to deploy a “reassurance force” to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire. Paris is also pushing for a broader consensus on long-term security guarantees for Kyiv.
The talks in Paris are expected to touch on several pressing issues, including Iran and transatlantic trade, especially in light of Trump’s recent threats to reinstate tariffs. French officials have described the 90-day suspension of U.S. tariffs as a “fragile pause” in economic tensions.
This marks the first visit to France by senior American officials since Vice President JD Vance attended an artificial intelligence summit in February, signaling the growing importance of U.S.-European coordination on global security challenges.
As The Gaze previously reported, the United States has softened its demands for Ukraine to repay wartime aid as the two countries move forward in negotiations over a potential economic partnership